The aim of the directive from the EPA and Missouri DNR is to determine if there are any lead pipes carrying drinking water across the country.
Letters and information have been sent to most CU customers in the last few weeks explaining the reason behind the request. CU carries water to meters near homes and businesses, but water lines from meters to those structures are the responsibility of the property owners.
CU has published a map of all water service lines and sent a letter to water customers whose service line is currently designated as “unknown.”
At a press conference Tuesday, CU’s director of water treatment and supply Elizabeth Robberson said CU has completed its inventory of water lines owned by the utility company. The inventory found there are no known lead service lines in CU’s infrastructure.
"Sample testing of CU's drinking water consistently shows lead levels below the threshold required by the EPA," she said, "and if lead is found, it likely comes from materials and components associated with customer service lines and home plumbing."
CU spokesperson Joel Alexander said it's important to check to see what types of material your water lines are made of, not only because of the EPA requirement, but also because of the impacts lead can have on human health.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, high levels of lead in children can lead to damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems and hearing and speech problems.
Lead pipes, if scraped with a coin, will be silver and shiny where the pipe has been scratched, and a magnet will not stick to them. Magnets also will not stick to copper. Plastic or PVC pipes don't contain lead. If a pipe is galvanized steel, a magnet will stick to it.
CU is offering $20 gift cards to the first 2500 customers who self report their water line material.
Robberson said that any water lines that are found to contain lead must be replaced by 2037 at the property owner's expense. Lines made of galvanized steel may need to be replaced, she said, "if they're shown to have been influenced by lead." If that's the case, CU will work with the property owner to determine next steps. She isn't sure yet if there will be low-interest loans or grants to help pay for those replacements.
You can find tutorials about checking your water line material as well as other information at cityutilites.net/lcr.
